Santa Rosa Range, Nv
Santa Rosa Peak
The town of Paradise Valley is the main population center east of the crest. It has an RV park and bar, but no store. The ranger station has a forest map posted outside. A truckstop is on US 95 where Nv 290 joins it.
VIEW BM el 8660 is the high peak at the south end of the high crest. And it's too easy to pass up because a 4wd road goes up the south slope. The 4wd road in starts on US 95 about 3 miles north of Nv 290. Go nearly a mile and a half and keep left at a fork. The road goes up a canyon then there is a fork about 4.2 miles in from the highway. GPS reading here is N41 22186, W117 40376 el 6500. The right fork goes to a 7000+ peak. But take the left fork to the end at a mine el 7200. There is a small turnaround here and camping room. Hike back on the road a 100 yards then go straight up into the saddle el 7500. Now just walk the easy ridge to the summit at 23498, 41947. No reg. Several minor bumps along the way are easily passed on the right. 3 hours, 1500 gain. A herd of sheep or antelope were ahead of me on the ridge. They know a good hike when they see one. I rode the right fork to the 7000+ peak and a herd of antelope were on that one too. This is the most pleasant of all the peak hikes. Posted 2014.
PROVO CANYON 4wd road is at mp HU 9 on Nv 290. It goes into the canyon then a brushy left fork goes over the divide and connects with the same road for View BM. It's 12 miles from Nv 290 over to US 95, but there's not much to see. Posted 2014.
WASH O'NEAL RD is at mp HU 10.4 on Nv 290. It has too many gates so forget it. I turned around at the 4th one. Posted 2014.
ABEL CREEK RD is at mp HU 13.9 on Nv 290. Use the left fork and it goes 6 miles on easy 4wd to small shady camps along the creek. Nasty roads go on from there. Posted 2014.
PARADISE PEAK and SINGAS BM are both 9400 foot peaks at the south end of the wilderness. Go south from Paradise Valley town on Nv 290 for a mile and turn at the sign for Singas Creek. Go west for 6 miles to the TH at the end of the road el 6500. 4wds have no trouble on this road. There is a sunny campspot here. Hike the trail south for a mile to the main east ridge at N41 28671, W117 39051 el 7300. Climb the ridge to the crest between the 2 peaks. At el 9200 veer left into an obvious saddle and go south along the west side of the crest to the Singas BM at 28486, 40293. Now go back to the saddle then go up over the left side of a minor bump then drop down to the main saddle el 8800 between the peaks. Now there are big rocks in the way but the east side has cow/game trails most of the time. When I got to Paradise I spiraled up around to the north ridge then went on up. Surveyor junk is on top at 29859, 40018. From there I dropped to the main saddle el 8800 north of the peak then tried to go down that canyon. Big mistake, too much brush. I had to move left onto the ridgetop and follow that back to the start. From that main saddle I should have gone uphill some to get above brush then get on the descent ridge. 7 and a half hours for the loop, about 4000 gain. A lot of light brush is on this hike but nothing heavy as long as you follow the correct ridge down. The descent ridge is obvious on the climb up but I thought I saw a route in the canyon. This loop is worth it one time but I'll only do Singas again. No reg on either peak. Posted 2014.
COAL PIT PEAK el 8130 is in the eastern part of the range. Go east from Paradise Valley town on the paved Chimney Dam Rd. In about a mile and a half is a sign for Lye Lane. Go left to the end of gravel then keep going north on easy 4wd road #50471. You'll come to road #50472 forking to the right. This road goes to the next canyon east which has some mine stuff called Spring City. Stay on road #50471 to get to Buttermilk Meadow el 7300 then keep right at all forks to get on the worsening road to Coal Pit Peak. The road goes within a quarter mile of the peak. The reg is at N41 37276, W117 26788. The were no entries since placement 15 years earlier. The road goes on past the peak then down to connect with the Hinkey Summit Rd, but is has some rocky and brushy sections. Posted 2014.
DEER PEAK el 9150 is what I call the peak south of Santa Rosa Peak. A jeep road goes up the east ridge to el 6600. Go north from town on the Hinkey road to the end of pavement. Turn left then keep right at a main fork in less than half a mile. Go another 3 miles to a cattleguard along Cottonwood Creek reading N41 32940, W117 35876. Go left here on 4wd and stay left at every fork. One section of road is gouged. The road swings south then comes back north onto the east ridge. Park at 32137, 37912 el 6600 where an ATV track forks left up a steep slope. Hike the ATV track to the end at el 7100 then go right on brushy cow trails for a fifth mile to get on top of the ridge. Now there is a main trail to follow to start up the ridge. Be sure to use a cow trail at 32370, 38480 el 7500 to get left of center and stay left up to 32315, 38880 el 8000. Now you have to get off the ridge completely. It's easy to walk the slopes on your left for half a mile to get to the obvious saddle on the crest at 32155, 39332 el 8600. Now turn north and stay right of center to get to a viewpoint at 32371, 39340 el 9000+. The twin summits are visible from here and a short walk away. My GPS couldn't tell which was higher, but 3 deer were on the east one so that must be the one. They ought to know, they live there. Not even a cairn was on either summit. 4 hours, 2600 gain. I was wary of this peak and climbed it on the condition I would make a U turn if it got nasty, but it never did. It turned out to be the easiest of the 9000+ peaks except for Granite. But the road in is the toughest because of erosion along a short stretch. But I made it OK with one wheel drive, so it should be 4 times as easy with 4wd. Posted 2014.
SANTA ROSA PEAK el 9700 has a 4wd road to el 7000, OHVs get closer. From Paradise Valley town, go north on the Hinkey Summit Rd to the end of pavement then go another 2 and a half miles to a Mullinix sign reading N41 34191, W117 32734. Turn west on 4wd along the creek. At el 5900 the road enters a saddle, keep left here. At 34745, 37652 el 7000 the road goes parabolic and will stop 4wds. There are shady camps in this area. I pushed my 125 up this 300 foot hill and rode on to the end of the road el 7600 as shown on maps. It's nothing but a cow trail towards the end. Now you want to hike level over to the crest but a stand of saplings at the end of the road is in the way. But hike uphill a little to 35447, 38681 to get above the saplings then walk that level to a viewpoint in a minor saddle at 35404, 38935 el 7700. From here you can see the rest of the route. The crest is a third mile away. Cow trails go in that direction. The main one is at 35425, 39044. It gets better as it goes and climbs onto the crest. It's easy to follow all the way to the north ridge of the peak. The ridge has no issues until el 9000 where big rocks are in the way, but it's easy to walk on the left side to the BM at 34084, 40300. No reg. The hike took me 5 hours and the only significant gain was the 2100 feet up the north ridge. Brush was light and not a factor with long pants. Hiking the road from the 7000 level would likely be a 7 hour day. The road has a couple of minor dips, nothing serious. In 2014, a big tree was blocking the road at el 6900, but it looked liked there was periodic clearing by the locals. Take a hand saw in case of smaller trees. Posted 2014.
SOLID SILVER CREEK 4wd road is a third mile north of the Mullinix turnoff mentioned above. Go west on that for 5 and a half miles to a tricky fork. The right one goes up onto the crest. It's the only road to the crest south of Granite Peak. An 8000+ peak on the crest would be an easy hike. Posted 2014.
GRANITE PEAK el 9730 is the highest in the range and the easiest. Drive 15 miles north from Paradise Valley town to Hinkey Summit el 7850. Turn west on easy 4wd for 2 and a half miles to the main saddle el 8800 east of the peak. Hike a cow trail along the left side of the fence. When the fence ends just keep going up. At el 9300 is a saddle you walk thru then stay left of center the rest of the way to the reg at N41 40082, W117 35322. Under 2 hours, 1000 gain. Posted 2014.
LYE CREEK CAMPGROUND is 3 miles north of Hinkey Summit. It was $8 in 2014.
BUCKSKIN MOUNTAIN el 8700 is the last major peak in the range going north. It has an easy 4wd road up the south ridge to the top. Follow the good Hinkey Summit Rd to where it tops out on the crest el 7400 on the south ridge of the peak. Then just turn north on the 4wd road. Shortly you come to a fork. Keep right there then keep left at remaining forks to get to the tower on top. The reg is nearby. This is too easy to pass up. You can keep going west on the Hinkey road to get down to US 95. Posted 2014.
FALLS CANYON is the only hike I did on the west side. Drive about 4 miles south from Orovada on US 95 to a sign for Horse Canyon. This is mp HU 39.8. Go east on the main road, staying right at main forks. It's nearly 4 miles of easy 4wd with 3 fords to the mouth where a shady camp awaits. It's a 15 minute stroll up the trail to the falls. I stayed dry at the 3 crossings but wading shoes would save some rock balancing. The last 100 feet needs pruning. A mtn bike would work on the road in. There was no sign saying you can't ride on to the falls. Posted 2014.
